Deryn Sharp
Deryn Sharp is one of the main characters and protagonists of Leviathan. She is a 15-year-old Scottish girl. When she was young, her father took her up in hot-air balloons; this fostered a deep love of flying in Deryn. After her father's death, Deryn resorts to joining the Royal Air Service in order to get back in the air. Unfortunately, women cannot join the military, so Deryn (with the help of her brother, Jaspert) disguises herself as a boy and renames herself Dylan. Deryn is a brilliant airman, with sharp skills and "air-sense." However, her secret keeps her in constant danger. Early life Deryn was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. Her age is given in Leviathan ''as "barely fifteen", placing her birthdate sometime in late 1898, or more likely, in 1899. She has an older brother named Jaspert. Her parents names are not known; all that is known is that her father died in a fire when she was twelve or thirteen, her father was then awarded a medal, for his bravery after he cut Deryn loose and a away from the fire. Since then, Deryn was primarily raised by her mother and her aunts, who do not approve of Deryn's tomboyish personality and interests. In the series Leviathan Deryn is first introduced in chapter three of Leviathan, about to take the midshipmens' test. During the test, she gets stranded in the air on a Huxley, and has to be rescued by the Leviathan. Deryn becomes a temporary midshipman aboard the Leviathan, passing the exam with ease. While she is serving on the ship, the Leviathan receives its first mission: to transport a top British scientist, Dr. Nora Barlow, and her secret cargo to Constantinople, though nothing further is explained. Deryn is surprised to learn that Dr. Barlow is a woman, and worries that, as another female, Dr. Barlow will discover her secret. Dr. Barlow takes a liking to Deryn, and Deryn becomes her unofficial "cabin boy". In air over Switzerland, the Leviathan is attacked by German planes, and crashes in the Alps -- incidentally where Alek and his men are hiding. Deryn is knocked out by the crash, but is revived by Alek, who brings medicine and claims to be a Swiss villager. However, he fails to convince Deryn of his story, and she sounds an alarm, resulting in his capture. Deryn helps Dr. Barlow interrogate Alek, who determines that he is not much of a threat and assigns the two of them to watch the secret cargo, which turn out to be eggs (though most of them were destroyed in the crash). While tending the eggs, Deryn and Alek share some of their experiences. The next day, Deryn, Dr. Barlow, and Alek go to his hideout to retrieve food and cargo for the wounded Leviathan. On the way back, they spot two German blimps approaching. The three of them, as well as the crew of Alek's Stormwalker fight a fierce battle. Though they defeat the blimps, both the Leviathan's engines and the Stormwalker are destroyed. The Leviathan can now fly, but without engines the crew has no control over the ship. Alek strikes a deal with her and Dr. Barlow: he will give them the Stormwalker's engines in exchange for passage to the Ottoman Empire. In the process of bargaining, Alek's true identity as the son of Franz Ferdinand, archduke of Austria-Hungary, is revealed. Deryn comforts him and promises she will not reveal his secret. Alek then hugs her, and Deryn feels a "tingling sensation", indicating she may be developing romantic feelings for him. With the more powerful Clanker engines now attached to the Leviathan, they lift off just as they are attacked by the Germans. The Leviathan escapes and sets off for the Ottoman Empire. En route, Deryn receives an order from the captain to tell him everything she knows about Alek and his men. Deryn lies to the captain that she does not know anything, and falsely promises to do her best to find out. Upon finding out about the order, Alek insists that Deryn reveal him to the captain, or she will be hanged as a traitor. However, Deryn realizes that they will not hang her, because she is a girl. In order to assuage Alek's fears, she almost tells him her secret, but is interrupted by Dr. Barlow. Behemoth Behemoth starts off with Deryn's, or in this case Dylan's, point of view as the first chapter takes us on top of the Leviathan where Alek, the exiled clanker prince is, teaching her how to fence. It is quickly interrupted of course as two German ironclads are spotted forty miles away. She and Alek split to help out the crew. Alek with engines and Deryn helped Newkirk. Unfortunately during the battle the German unleash the Tesla cannon, a lightning generator. Newkirk's Huxley is shot down with lightning and Deryn takes action to save Newkirk from a watery grave. The ironclads retreat and after the battle, she is rejoined with Alek, who was injured during the attack while he tried to save the ship. Alek predicts that ironclads are heading to Constantinople. He then asks a favor to deliver this message to Count Volger. While reluctant to be relaying secret messages to the Clankers, she does it anyway. And in the process, Volger and Deryn quickly get off on the wrong foot after she lets slip that Alek had told his secret to her, earning Deryn a sword held to the throat by the Count. Deryn quickly reassures him only she and Dr. Barlow knew and they had promised not to tell. That evening, Alek tries to find a way for him and his men to escape the Leviathan when Deryn finds him in the lizard room. When they find a quiet place she reveals how the event with Newkirk had brought up old memories of her father's death to the surface. Berfore they part Alek says his farwell to Deryn in case they never meet again. Deryn says goodbye, but coldly. It was because Alek said he was 'in love with the Leviathan' and not herself which got Deryn's nerves. Deryn then arrives at Istanbul along with Newkirk to assist Dr. Barlow. They take a ride on a Dauntless, a giant robotic elephant walker, but is shortly hijacked by Germans. Deryn turns on her bravery and manages to save vessle with spices. That evening Alek and his crew escape but Volger is capture and returned. Meanwhile, a grumpy Deryn searches high and low for one of the beasties that hatched from the egg the same night but Dr. Barlow doesn't seem to worried. Tired, she is unwillingly ordered to deliver Volger's breakfast. The two have a heated debate about Alek and Deryn defends him against Volger, almost revealing her secret. Fortunately they come to an agreement of keeping each other informed with events. ''**Editing to be continued soon.... Physical description Deryn is described as thin and tall for her age, with "fine features" and "sandy" hair. Her hair is cut short as part of her disguise. Her brother Jaspert claims that she has no "diddies" to speak of. According Scott Westerfeld, she has blue eyes and a height of 5'10". Personality Deryn is strong-willed and impulsive, but very kind and caring at heart. She is capable of standing her ground in fights and arguments alike, and does not give up against obstacles. Though she prides herself on being tough, Deryn shows much empathy when Alek reveals his true identity to her, and is even sympathetic towards her enemies in battle, saying she joined the Service to fly, not to kill people. Deryn is also very smart and a quick thinker. She has shown herself to be able to find solutions to most problems she faces, including dealing with a Huxley in a storm, jumping off the side of the Leviathan to save her fellow crewman, and forcing negotiations with Alek's men. She is also very capable in flight and with "beasties." However, Deryn also tends to be somewhat arrogant, believing that she is better than boys. She is also quite sarcastic, occasionally turning a serious situation awkward, or saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. She has several recognizable catchphrases and insults, including "Barking spiders!", "Blisters!", and "bum-rag." In the second installment of "'''Behemoth'" Deryn's personality is deepend as she begins to grow up juggling responsiblilities, struggling with her loyalties, and keeping the feelings that she has for Alek at bay. She becomes a bit more serious but is still our crazed airman willing to do the unthinkable when the job is needed. Relationships Family 'Jaspert Sharp' : Jaspert is Deryn's older brother, most likely seventeen or eighteen, and the one who helped her disguise herself as a boy. Though he frequently teases her, Deryn and Jaspert seem to be quite close. : Jaspert is also part of the Air Service. It is mentioned that he is serving as a Coxswain on the ''Minotaur. Deryn's father : Deryn's father flew hot-air ballons and she would go along with him. One day one of the kerosene tanks had set the balloon on fire. Her dad pushed her out of the basket, saving her, but all the ropes broke at once and sent the balloon skywards, leading to her fathers demise. His bravery earned him the Air Gallantry Cross, the highest honor they can give a civillian for deeds in the air. In "Behemoth" Deryn later recieves one herself. : Deryn and her father were quite close. He apparently accepted Deryn's tomboyish personality and took her up in his hot-air balloons all the time, hence how she fell in love with flying. After he died in the fire, Deryn states that she was very depressed after his death, and didn't talk for almost a month. Deryn's mother : Not much is known about Deryn's mother, either. Deryn does not seem to be as close to her as she was to her father, most likely because of her mother's disapproval with Deryn's un-ladylike tendencies. It is mentioned that after her father's death, her mother and aunts attempt to turn Deryn back into a "lady". She also seems to disapprove of Deryn's becoming a soldier. Deryn's aunts : Deryn has several aunts, all of whom seem to be close to her mother. They all try to turn Deryn into a proper lady after her father's death. They taught Deryn how to quilt, which gave her the required skills for tailoring boys' clothes so that they would fit her. ''Leviathan's Crew and Passengers 'Dr. Nora Barlow' : Deryn first meets Dr. Barlow in Hyde Park, where she is to pick her up and transport her secret cargo to Constantinople. Deryn is initially surprised to learn that she is a woman. As another female, Dr. Barlow comes the closest to guessing Deryn's secret-luckily, she guesses that Deryn's smooth face is due to her being underage. The two of them get along fairly well, though Deryn occasionally finds Dr. Barlow to be somewhat annoying. : Deryn is also fond of Tazza, Dr. Barlow's pet thylacine, though she initially mistook him to be fabricated. 'Newkirk' : Newkirk is another midshipman aboard the Leviathan, and the only one to stay (along with Deryn) after the other midshipmen leave due to Dr. Barlow's arrival. Newkirk and Deryn get along well, with Newkirk never finding reason to suspect that Deryn is a girl. During the battle against the Germans, Newkirk almost sacrifices himself to save Deryn. In "Behemoth" Deryn saves Newkirk from drowning after his Huxley is struck by lighting from the German Tesla Cannon. Because his mother is a Monkey Luddite, Newkirk is slightly afraid of fabricated beasties, something that Deryn enjoys mocking him about. 'Mr. Rigby' : Rigby is Deryn's higher-up officer and one of the ship's bosuns. Though there isn't much of a friendly relationship, Deryn respects him and is glad to see him alive after he is shot by the Germans. Rigby is very tough, insisting on taking watch even after being shot. It is joked that his ears are fabricated because of his excellent hearing. 'Prince Aleksandar Ferdinand' : Deryn and Alek first meet when Alek revives her after the Leviathan crashes. Though he brings medicine and supplies, Deryn is suspicious of him and calls for him to be captured. This causes their relationship to start off rocky, but slowly they begin to respect each other and form a friendship. It is implied that Deryn has romantic feelings for him throughout the book. She describes him as "handsome", feels a tingling sensation when he hugs her, and insists that she is not a "girl twisting her skirts" when thinking about him. However, this is complicated by the fact that they are still on opposite sides of the war, and he thinks that she is a boy. : : By the second book' "Behemoth"''', it is clear that Deryn has fallen in love with the young prince and she struggles to keep her emotions at bay and well hidden. A part of her wishing she could reveal herself to him as a girl in hopes that he might return her feelings, but also afraid that he will reject her considering she is a Darwinist and a commoner. Fearing that their friendship might be at risk, she keeps her feelings to herself. Before Alek's escape from the Leviathan he confesses he has fallen in love. At first Deryn had thought he meant her, almost believing he discovered her secret, but Alek continues his confession that he has fallen in love with the airship. That it felt like home. She became really a 'dummkopf' and a 'bum-rag' about it as she did somehow want Alek to confess it to her in that way. : Throughout half the book she reunites with him and discovers he has joined forces with "The Committee of the Union and Progress". Deryn immediately takes a dislike to the leader's daughter Lilit through jealousy, hoping the two aren't becoming close. Little does she know, until Alek tells her, that it is Deryn as a boy who Lilit was interested in. : Deryn is willing to risk almost everything for Alek. She even goes to great legnths to finding him in Instanbul to help the committee. By the end of the book Alek prepares to disappear into the wild of the Ottoman Empire and pleads Deryn to come with him stating that he can't do this alone. But she argues back convincing him to come back to the Leviathan with her, saying its where he belongs. By doing so she is able to convince Alek to come with her. Though she did wish that Alek would ask that question to her, but in a different way, not as in to another normal friend but as a 'man'Another reason she thought it was a better idea to re-bored the Leviathan for the fact it was going east towards Russia, instead of going to London keeping him out of jail longer. Deryn also promises that if they try to chain him up she get him out or break the locks herself. : Category:Leviathan crew Category:Darwinists Category:Females Category:Members of the Royal Air Service